Switch actuating device



NOV- 3, 1959 c. H. MlLLERwlsE 2,911,509

SWITCH ACTUATING DEVICE Filed May l5, k1958 TIE- l0 305 Z 3oB 32 2.2 zz

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SWITCH ACTUATING DEVICE v(Earl `Herman Millerwise, Trumbull, Conn.,assiguor to American Radiator & Standard Sanitary Corporation,

nNew York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware applicati@ May 1s, 195s,serial No. 135,521

' 1.claims. (ci. zoo- 172) The present invention relates to a switchactuating More particularly, this invention relates to an actuatorstructure -fora .plunger-operated switch havlng a l housing. with asurface through which a plunger projects and .Side surfaces extendingfrom the plunger surface.

vIt is anobject of this invention to provide a novel switch v actuatingdevice for a plunger operated switch.

vIt lis tmOther object Vof the invention to provide such a switchactuating device having Ysnap-on bracket means y vfor clampingengagement with the switch housing to provide a unit which may be easilymounted on a switch 'without theuse of screws or other additionalfastening means.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a Vswitchactuating device which may be mounted on installed switches withoutremoving'y the ,switch mounting means or otherwise disassembling theswitch.

Another object is .to .provide a switch actuator-having a y ,resilientarm to actuate the switch plunger whereby the switch may be used forautomatic intermittent switching y.operations such, for example', aslimit switch applications.

' VA still further object of thisinvention is the provision Y vof .a4switch actuating device which `may be produced as .a .one-piece unit.Another `object is the provision ofa switch actuating v device which maybe'produced as a relativelyl low cost 7item as a result of its smpliedconstruction.

' Other objects of this inventionwill appear in the followingdescription and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this ,specication wherein like referencecharacters designate corresponding parts in the severalviews.

. In the drawings:

Fig.,1 is a side elevational view of a switch actuating .deviceconstructed according .to the present invention.

"Fig, 2 lis a top plan view of the switch actuating device 4of Fig. 1installed on a plunger type switch.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view .of .the switch actuating device .ofFig. 1 installed on a plungertypev switch having ,recess mountingrneansfor engagement with projections jon the legs of the actuating device.

Fig. 4 is a segmental view of one end of the switch actuating deviceshowing a second embodimentl of the switch housing provided withprojecting mounting means for .engagement with projections on the legsof the actuating device.

Fig. 5 is an end elevationalview of the Fig. 1 embodiment.

' Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is Y to y,beunderstood that the invention is not limited in its rkapplication to thedetails of construction and arrangepurpose yof description and It iscontemplated by this invention to provide'a switch United States Patent'i VCC y actuating device having a mounting bracket 18 which may besnapped onto a switch 12, as may be best seen in Figs. 2 and 3, withoutthe use of screws or other fastening means. The mounting bracket 1,8carries the switch actuating portion of the device 10 which comprises aresilient arm`14 which .extends over the switch plunger element 16 and,in lits normal at-rest position, is vspaced therefrom. The arm 14 isdeectable downwardly in the arrow 11 direction toward the bracket 18 todepress the plunger 16 whichoperates the switch 12 to an open or closedcondition. The arm 14, being resilient, will always return to its normalat-rest position when the deflecting force is removed. The switchactuating device 10 as thus constructed may be used for a variety ofswitching .operations. i

As may be seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the switch 12 comprises a switchhousing 28 having a generally oblong construction. The housing 28 has-an upper surface `32 through which the switch plunger element 16projects. The housing 2,8 is also provided with side surfaces 24, 26extending downwardly from the upper surface 3.2. While a generallyoblong structure has been shown for the switch housing 28, it will beobvious to one skilled in the art that the present invention is capableof being adapted to other housing shapes which may have, for instance,curved or angular surfaces. The switch 12 as shown for purposes ofillustration is an electrical switch having switch terminals 50, 52 and54, however, within the scope of lthe present invention it is onlynecessary that the switch 12 be of the plunger operated type. Aplungeroperated switch is similar to the conventional on-ott switch andmay have any desired internal switch construction. The switch may beeither normally open or normally closed and is equipped with ya pushbutton type ,of

. adapted to clampingly engage the side surfaces 24, 26 of the switchhousing 28. The legs 20, 22 are interconnected by means of an elongatedweb member 30 which extends across the upper surface 32 of the switchhousing 28. The central portion of the web 30 is cut-away to form theelongated resilient actuating arm 14. The arm 14 has one of its ends 36attached to the bracket 18 adjacent the leg 20 and has its opposite end38 free, thus forming a movable spring leaf lever. The arm 14 is otisetfrom the web 30, and consequently spaced from the plunger 16 whichextends through the central open pori portion 34. The arm 14 as shown inFigs. l and 3, ex-

tion of the web 30, by means of an upwardly extending tends outwardlyfrom the offsetting portion 34 and may be directed upwardly at a slightangle to the web 30 to provide additional'spacing from the plunger 16.

As previously mentioned, the legs '20, 22 are sprung inwardly as Shownin Fig. l to provide a clamping engagement with the side walls 24, 26 ofthe switch housing 28. The legs 20, 22 may additionally be provided withresilient flat projections 4t), 42 to engage recesses 44, 46 formed inthe side walls 24, 26. The projections 40, 42 may be formed from thematerial of the legs 2t), 22 as shown in Fig. 5 by a method such, forexample,

it provides a positive locking arrangement and permits legs- 20, [22 tobe flush with the side surfaces 24, 26.

However, a second embodiment as shown in Fig. 4 is also i mounted on theswitch 12 by simply forcing the actuator legs down the sides 24, 26until the projections 40; 42 snap into engagement with the recesses 44,46 or the projections 48 as the case may be. It will be noted that dueto the locking engagement of the projections 40, 42 to prevent verticalmovement and of the switch plunger element 16 which projects through theweb 30 to prevent sidewise movement, the actuator cannot be accidentallyremoved from the switch 12. Before the actuator 10 can be removed, theprojections '40, 42 must be bent outwardly, away from the walls 24, 26,tol disengage them from the recesses 44, 46 or the projections 48. Thiswill free the actuator 10 for upward movement and it may be thusconveniently removed from the switch' 12, but only when desired.

The switch actuating device 10 is preferably fabricated from a singleflat strip of resilient material such as spring steel to the end thatthe legs 20, 22, projections 40, 42 and the arm 14 will not be subjectto permanent deformation due to the forces encountered during use.Resiliency is particularly important in reference to the arm 14 which inoperation is subject to repeated ilexing and must return to its openposition after the closing force is removed.

In some applications, as when the switch 12 is to be l used as a limitswitch, it may be desirable to mount v roller elements in the arm 14 toreduce the friction between the arm 14 and the follower element which isusually provided to slide over and deect such limit switch actuatingarms. It may also be desirable in some instances to hingedly mount thearm 14 to the bracket 18 rather than to form the arm 14 integrallytherewith as a spring leaf actuating arm as shown in Fig. l. The arm 14might be hingedly mounted, for instance, when it is desired to have itremain in either the opened or closed position without the continuedapplication of an external force.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. An actuator structure for a plunger operated switch having a housingwith a surface through which a plunger projects; said actuator structurecomprising wall means; detent means on said wall means for clampingengagement with the switch housing and Iactuator means movably carriedby the wall means for actuating the switch plunger.

2. A switch actuating device for use with a plunger operated switchhaving a housing provided with a surface through which the plungerprojects and side surfaces extending adjacent the plunger surface; saidactuating device comprising a mounting bracket portion having a webportion; a pair of legs depending from opposite ends of the web portion;said legs having detent means adapted to clampingly engage said switchhousing side surfaces; and an elongated arm having one of its endsattached to the bracket and having its opposite end free; said armadapted to extend over the plunger and adapted to be normally spacedtherefrom whereby it is adapted to be swung into pressure engagementwith the plunger when moved toward the switch housing.

3. A switch actuating device for use with a plunger operated switchhaving ya surface through which the plunger projects and side surfacesextending fro-rn the plunger surface; said actuator comprising agenerally U-shaped mounting bracket portion having `a pair of inwardlysprung legs; detent means on said legs adapted to engage said sidesurfaces; the legs being interconnected by means of an elongated memberadapted to extend across the plunger surface; and an elongated resilientarm having one of its ends attached to the bracket adjacent 'one leg andhaving its ,opposite end free; said arm extending over the plunger andnormally spaced therefrom whereby it is adapted to be swung intopressure engagement with the plunger when moved `toward the elongatedinterconnecting bracket member.

4. A switch actuating device for use with a plunger operated switchhaving a surface through which the plunger projects, side surfacesextending from the plunger surface, and a recess formed in each of theside surfaces; said actuating device comprising a generally U-shapedmounting bracket portion having a web portion adapted to extend acrossthe plunger surface; a pair of resilient legs depending from oppositeends of the web portion sprung inwardly towards one another; an inwardlyextending resilient projection on the inner surface of each of the legs;said legs adapted to clampingly engage said switch housing sides witheach of the inwardly extending projections lockingly engaging the recessprovided in each of said side surfaces; and an elongated resilient armhaving one of its ends attached to the bracket and having its oppositeend free; said arm adapted to extend over the plunger and adapted to benormally spaced therefrom whereby it is adapted to be swung intopressure engagement with the plunger when moved toward the switch.

5. A switch actuating device for use with a plunger operated switchhaving a surface through which the plunger projects, side surfacesextending from the plunger surface, and a projection formed on each ofthe side surfaces; said actuating device comprising a generally U-shapedmounting bracket portion having a web yportion adapted to extend acrossthe plunger surface; a pair of resilient legs depending from oppositeends of the web portion sprung inwardly towards one another; an inwardlyextending resilient projection on the inner surface of each of the legs;said legs adapted to clampingly engage said switch housing sides witheach of the inwardlyV extending leg projections abutting; against thelower portion of the projection provided on each of said side surfacesin locking engagement therewith; and an elongated resilient arm havingone of its ends attached to the bracket and having its opposite endfree; said arm adapted to extend over the plunger and adapted to benormally spaced therefrom whereby it is adapted to be swung intopressure engagement with the plunger when'moved toward the switch.

6. A switch actuating device for use with a plunger operated switchhaving a surface through which the plunger projects, side surfacesextending from the plunger surface, and a recess formed in each of theside surfaces; said actuating device comprising a generally U-shapedmounting bracket portion having a web portion adapted to extend acrossthe plunger surface; a pair of resilient flat legs depending fromopposite ends of the web portion sprung inwardly towards one another; aninwardly and upwardly extending at resilient projection on the innersurface of each of the legs; said legs adapted to clampingly engage saidswitch housing sides with each of the inwardly extending projectionslockingly engaging the recess provided in each of said side surfaces;and an elongated resilient arm having one of its ends attached to thebracket and having its opposite end free; said arm adapted to extendover the plunger and adapted to be f normally spaced therefrom wherebyit is adapted to be swung into pressure engagement with the plunger whenmoved toward the switch.

7. A switch actuating device for use with a plunger operated switchhaving a surface through which the plunger projects, side surfacesextending from the plunger surface, and a recess formed in each of theside surfaces; said actuating device comprising a generally U-shapedmounting bracket portion having a web formed with an elongated centralopening adapted to extend acrossthe plunger surface with the switchplunger extending through the web opening; a pair of resilient flat legsdepending from Vopposite ends of the web portion sprung inwardly towardsone another; an inwardly and upwardly f 2,91 1,509 5 6 extending fiatresilient projection on the inner surface of References Cited in the leof this patent each of the legs; said legs adapted to clampingly engagesaid switch housing sides with each of the inwardly eX- UNITED STATESPATENTS tending projections lockingly engaging the recess pro- 2,413,130Aitken DeC- 24, 1946 vided in each of said side surfaces; and anelongated at 5 2,454,341 Repka Nov. 23, 1948 resilient arm having one ofits ends attached to the 2,547,765 Lund Apr. 3, 1951 bracket adjacentone leg and having its opposite end 2,612,368 Ransome Sept. 30, 1952free; said arm adapted to extend over the plungerand 2,648,234 LesterAugl 11,1953

adapted to be normally spaced therefrom whereby it is adapted to beswung into pressure engagement with the 10 plunger when moved toward theswitch.

